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Wednesday, 28 February 2018

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) first introduced the esports title of FIFA in 2005, and such title has been included in every year since then.

Five players in MSSA's 36th Gauteng Provincial Championships all earned their berths in MSSA's 2018 National Team Trials.FIFA was played at IESF's 2009, 2010, and 2011 World Championships (Taebaek, Daegu, and Andong), and MSSA sent players in all three years to represent South Africa. MSSA has too sent national teams to Windhoek, Namibia, as well as having competed online against Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Namibia.

The criteria to qualify for such trials all Registered Players that win a Regional Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

Also, all Registered Players that score within the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, in a specific Period at a Provincial or National Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

It should be remembered that members of the current Protea Squad automatically earn a berth at the National Team Trials (NTT) should they have met their obligations in terms of participation at MSSA events.

The learners that earned such an invite for the FIFA esports title are:

Name of player

Club

Period

Province

Mqandisi Dewa

North West University - Vaal

FIFA '18

Gauteng

Bongikosi Lukhele

Amplified Rebellion

FIFA '18

Gauteng

Mpho Ntsala

Fakkel School of Skills

FIFA '18

Free State

Khahliso Malape

Fakkel School of Skills

FIFA '18

Free State

Ru-Landie Kilian

Affies Sasolburg

FIFA '18

Free State

Other Registered Players that have earned a berth at MSSA's 2018 National Team Trials (NTT) are:

The Gauteng Provincial Championships have always been viewed as one of the most important championships leading up to MSSA's National Team Trials with the championships being the fourth last championship in which players may qualify for such Trials.

The criteria to qualify for such trials all Registered Players that win a Regional Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

Also, all Registered Players that score within the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, in a specific Period at a Provincial or National Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

It should be remembered that members of the current Protea Squad automatically earn a berth at the National Team Trials (NTT) should they have met their obligations in terms of participation at MSSA events.

The learners that earned such an invite for the DotA 2 esports title are:

Name of player

School

Period

Province

Kit Rawlings

Northcliff High School

DotA 2

Gauteng

Aiden Vermeulen

Northcliff High School

DotA 2

Gauteng

Brandon Watts

Northcliff High School

DotA 2

Gauteng

Darren Bouttell

Northcliff High School

DotA 2

Gauteng

Landen Viljoen

Northcliff High School

DotA 2

Gauteng

Other Registered Players that have earned a berth at MSSA's 2018 National Team Trials (NTT) are:

The Gauteng Provincial Championships have always been viewed as one of the most important championships leading up to MSSA's National Team Trials with the championships being the fourth last championship in which players may qualify for such Trials.

Fifteen players in MSSA's 36th Gauteng Provincial Championships all earned their berths in MSSA's 2018 National Team Trials.CounterStrike: GO was played at IESF's 2016, and 2017 World Championships (Jakarta, and Busan), and MSSA sent players in both years to represent South Africa. MSSA has too competed online against Switzerland, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria.

The criteria to qualify for such trials all Registered Players that win a Regional Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

Also, all Registered Players that score within the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, in a specific Period at a Provincial or National Championship shall earn an invitation to National Team Trials.

It should be remembered that members of the current Protea Squad automatically earn a berth at the National Team Trials (NTT) should they have met their obligations in terms of participation at MSSA events.

The learners that earned such an invite for the CounterStrike: GO esports title are:

Name of player

Club

Period

Province

Sean Flanagan

Helpmekaar Kollege

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Keanu du plessis

Helpmekaar Kollege

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Ockie van Wyk

Helpmekaar Kollege

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Emile Prowse

Helpmekaar Kollege

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Christiaan Botes

Helpmekaar Kollege

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Cameron Nagel

Team Sidious

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Justin Nagel

Team Sidious

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Dennis jansen van Vuuren

Team Sidious

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Johan Nel

Team Sidious

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Branden Davids

Team Sidious

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Matthew Botha

Northcliff High School

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Darren Bouttell

Northcliff High School

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Luka Eardley

Northcliff High School

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Jaryd Smith

Northcliff High School

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Dylan Baker

Northcliff High School

CounterStrike: GO

Gauteng

Other Registered Players that have earned a berth at MSSA's 2018 National Team Trials (NTT) are:

Tuesday, 27 February 2018

MSSA's General Secretary, Colin Webster, also appeared before the Zulman Commission of Inquiry which is investigating maladministration in SASCOC.

In his testimony, Colin Webster raised the following:

SASCOC as a
Company and as a Voluntary Association

Unlawful payments by the NDLTF to the SASCOC (NPC's) bank account

Enabling activities by the then Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Fikile Mbalula

The 'so-called' suspension of Mind Sports South Africa

Issues surrounding the Collins' Commission of which he was a member

The dissolution of the Legal and Arbitration Committee when it started to investigate one of its own members

Victimisation of those who spoke out against SASCOC

The attempt by SASCOC to silence him through the Adv. David Beasley tribunal

SASCOC's unlawful interference in the affairs of its members

Without doubt the most serious of all the allegations are those surrounding SASCOC as a Company and as a Voluntary Association.

SASCOC was registered on 26 November 2004 as a Non Profit Company (a Section 21
company under the old Act) under company number 2004/033949/08.
The company remains registered and in business to this day according
to CIPC.

The
registered directors are:

SAMBASIVAN RAMSAMY - Director Active

MARK
RANDALL ALEXANDER - Director Active

HAJERA KAJEE - Director Active

LESLIE
DANIEL WILLIAMS - Director Active

REMEMBER
RAYMOND MALI - Director Active

MARSHA MARESCIA - Director Active

AURELIA
BONGEPHIWE MTHETHWA - Director Active

GIDEON
NAPOLEON SAM - Director Active

LEHLOHONDLO
JAMES LETUKA - Director Active

MUBARAK MAHOMED - Director Active

JAYSEELAN NAIDOO - Director Active

The
Companies Act was amended in 2008, coming into effect on 1 May 2011, however, certain clauses were not in full effect until 1 May 2013.

However, SASCOC took a decision to create a voluntary
association under the same name.

It adopted a constitution in those
terms on 26 September 2015.

SASCOC
purported to ‘convert’ itself from a company to a voluntary
association via this process, which was obtained via resolution
passed by the members of the company at a meeting of a company.

It must be noted that there
is no provision in the Companies Act 71 of 2008 for a company to
‘convert’ to any other legal entity. The Co-operative Act
14 of 2005 permits a company to convert to a Co-operative, but under
that Act subject to stringent requirements.

Accordingly,
what SASCOC attempted to do in 2015 was not possible in law.

All that
was achieved was to create a second legal entity so that SASCOC is now
a company and a voluntary association.

The
consequences of this are the following:

SASCOC
has publically (and according to all notifications to its members)
ceased to carry on its operations under the banner of the company.

Accordingly,
SASCOC has ‘transferred’ staff, assets, bank accounts, contract,
etc, from the company to the voluntary association without any legal
grounds for doing so.

The
directors of SASCOC NPC (listed above) have effectively
assets-stripped the company in favour of the voluntary association,
despite their fiduciary duties to the company as directors.

SASCOC,
the NPC, is the legal entity recognised as by the Minister of Sport
in terms of the National Sport and Recreation Act. The Minister has
not terminated that recognition and recognised the voluntary
association in its place. Accordingly, the voluntary association is
acting illegally by purporting to act as the Sports Confederation in
terms of the National Sport and Recreation Act.

SASCOC
NPC is also the body which was affiliated to the IOC and several
other international bodies, although the voluntary association has
taken over that affiliation without reapplying afresh.

SASCOC
NPC is further the body registered with SARS for tax. The voluntary
association could not just take over that registration or exemption
as a Public Benefit Organisation.

The
full impact of SASCOC’s conduct of purporting to ‘convert’ to a
voluntary association is that the rules of governance have changed
dramatically. This is best explained as follows:

In
terms of the Companies Act, the company does not have special powers
vis-à-vis its members (it is impossible to think of Anglo-American
taking over one of its shareholders if it is unhappy with that
shareholder). The rules of governance are geared towards the members
holding the board of directors of the company accountable, and not
the board of directors hold the company accountable.

Schedule
1 of the Companies Act has rules relating to Non Profit Companies.
The ones which impacted SASCOC the most were that:

One
third of the board of directors have to be replaced each year. SASCOC
has never complied with this provision.

Membership
can only be voting or non-voting – it is not possible to have
differently weighted votes.

Ex
officio membership is not permitted. So a board member cannot become
a member by virtue alone of being a board member. This means that
board members (unless they have other rights in their personal
capacities) do not have the right to vote as such at SASCOC members’
meetings.

SASCOC
could provide for how membership could (or would) be lost. However,
it would be in conflict with many provisions of the Companies Act for
SASCOC to take over a member (or place it under administration, as
SASCOC terms it).

Accordingly,
all acts committed before September 2015 in which SASCOC purported to
interfere directly (as opposed to suspending or terminating
membership) in the affairs of its members was in conflict with the
Companies Act and therefore invalid and unlawful. (The SASCOC
Articles/Constitution or MOI, whatever term it uses, cannot trump the
Companies Act. Section 5 of the Act provides for the situations where
the Companies Act will not automatically prevail, and nowhere is
SASCOC mentioned.)

By
purporting to ‘convert’ to a voluntary association SASCOC has
attempted to avoid the governance provisions of the Companies Act and
rather resort to the rather looser basis of a voluntary association
(purportedly based in contract). The reasoning being that the members
of SASCOC can agree to SASCOC interfering in their affairs by
agreeing to it in a constitution. Accordingly, any member of the
SASCOC voluntary association is subject to its constitution and to
any action taken against then by SASCOC when it is acting as the
voluntary association. However, members who did not agree to join the
voluntary association are protected by the Companies Act, and all
members who were interfered with prior to 2015 would have a claim
against the directors and senior management of SASCOC for any harm
caused.

The
directors of SASCOC NPC have been derelict in their duties by
permitting the asset stripping of the company in favour of the
voluntary association. Further, in so far as they violated the rights
of any members in breach of the provisions of the Companies Act, they
have been delinquent.

The
directors have also failed to hold meetings of the company since
2015, and have not continued to produce financial statements of the
company or fulfil their other functions as directors. On these
grounds they should be reported to the Companies Tribunal to take
action against them in their personal capacities.

At every Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) Regional, Provincial, and National LAN Championship, the umpires decide on who shall receive the sportsmanship award. At the end of the year, the winners of such awards are then considered to see who is the winner of the annual Sportsmanship Award (Dorian Love Trophy) as awarded at MSSA's Annual General Meeting.

Some years it is easy, and other years it is extremely hard to determine who should receive the award.

There is no doubt that Kit represents all that is good in competition. His kind, generous, and courteous demeanour never wavered throughout the competition.Kit remains an asset to his family, school, and esports.

It is hard to believe that MSSA started running its Gauteng Provincial Championships only 36 years ago.

The Gauteng Provincial Championships have always been viewed as one of the most important championships leading up to MSSA's National Team Trials with the championships being the fourth last championship in which players may qualify for such Trials.

MSSA's 36th Gauteng Provincial Championships were more than ably hosted by Northcliff High School. The learners at the school showed sportsmanship of the highest order, and were kind and courteous to all the officials and players alike.

It was pleasing to see that the championship attracted players from the Free State, Gauteng, North West, and Limpopo, although the most inspiring aspect of the championships was the number of school teams that participated.

The number of school teams that participated, re-inforces MSSA's belief that in promoting school teams the various development gals are more effectively reached.

Out of a total of 17 premier titles, 13 of such were won by learners.

The senior teams had to fight long and hard against the much improved school teams that challenged the senior teams at every turn as they fought for a place in the 2018 National Team Trials that will ultimately deliver a team to the IESF's 2018 10th Esports World Championships.

Special mention must be made of Fakkel School of Skills, St. Stithian's College, Affies Sasolburg, JCS Academy, and Northcliff High School. Such schools showed that they could take on the best, and delivered sterling results.

The improved depth in the standard of play bodes well for the future of all of South African gaming.

The winners of MSSA's 36th Gauteng Provincial Championships are:

Title

Name of player/team

Club

Colours awarded

Ancients (DBM)

Colin Webster

Old Edwardian Mind Sports Club

Gauteng

Checkers

Pheello Maphumane

Fakkel School of Skills

Tshepo Matitwane

Fakkel School of Skills

Sam Mathlong

North West University – Vaal

Counterstrike: GO

RISINSons

Helpmekaar

Gauteng

CounterStrike: GO (High School)

G3NTS

Northcliff High School

DotA 2

PR0NHS

Northcliff High School

Gauteng

FIFA '18 (female)

Ru-landie Killian

Affies Sasolburg

FIFA '18

Mqandisi Dewa

North West University - Vaal

FIFA '18 (High School)

Khahliso Malape

Fakkel School of Skills

Hearthstone (female)

Linda Swanepoel

Fakkel School of Skills

Free State

Hearthstone

Gawie Fick

Fakkel School of Skills

Hearthstone (High school)

Kevin Plint

Northcliff High School

Gauteng

League of Legends

ST

St Stithians

Gauteng

League of Legends (High School)

STS1

St Stithians

Morabaraba – Female

Anne-Lee Steyn

JCS Academy

Free State

Morabaraba

Joseph Matlong

North West University – Vaal

Morabaraba – High School

Sam Kotsoane

Fakkel School of Skills

PES 2018 (female)

Ru-landie Killian

Affies Sasolburg

Free State

PES 2018

Gordon Mcormack

Masters of Mind Sports

Free State

Rocket League

PR0NHS

Northcliff High School

Gauteng

StarCraft II

Aidan Smale

ZAG

Gauteng

Street Fighter V (female)

Leone Loftus

Fakkel School of Skills

Free State

Street Fighter V (High School – females)

Cindy-Lee Strydom

Fakkel School of Skills

Street Fighter V

Lebogang Phoshoko

Cape Town Mind Sports Club

Gauteng

Street Fighter V (High School – boys)

Sean Skolkali

Northcliff High School

Tekken 7

Jeremy Seremak

HTS Sasolburg

Gauteng

Tekken7 (High School)

Pieter Oelofse

HTS Sasolburg

Photographs of the event may be viewed on: https://www.facebook.com/pg/mindsportssa/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10157086776834008